Igniting device for explosive-engines.



No. 837,708. PATENTED DEG. 4.190s. H. 1). MURRAY 6.; E. J. FITHIAN. IGNITING DEVICE FOR BXPLOSI'VE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1905.

" ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY D. MURRAY AND EDWIN J. FLTHIAN, OF GROVE CITY, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE BESSEMER GAS ENGINE COMPANY, OF GROVE CITY, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION.

IGNITING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed my 27,1905. Serial No. 262.615.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY D. MURRAY and EDWIN J. FITHIAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Grove City, in the county of Mercer and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Igniting Devices for Explosive-Engines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to igniting devices for explosiveengines; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims, The ignition is effected in this apparatus by an electric spark, and the apparatus is designed to simpliiy and make more efiicient devices of this character.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a spark-plug with mechanism in place thereon; Fig. 2, a section on the line arranged at the inner ends of the plug. The

electrode B is carried by the post B, which extends through the opening a in the plug. At each end of this opening insulating-blocks b are arranged. The washer B is arranged at the outer end of the post B and is secured in place thereon by a nut B This nut B forces the shoulder 5 against the inner block b and the washer 1-3 against the outer block I), thus assembling these parts of the mechanism. A socket bextends from the washer 13 into which is inserted one of the wires D. A perfect contact is secured by means of the set-screw b The electrode B is stationary. The electrode O is movable and is carried by the arm C. The arm O is preferably an integral art of a rod C extendin into the 0 enin P s P z:

a in the plug A. A shoulder c engages the plug at the inner end of the opening a. Just outside ofthe plug A the rod O has a squared portion 0. An actuating-lever E is arranged on this s uared portion. An arm e extends from this ever, and a spring F presses against it, tending to keep the electrode C in contact with the electrode B. The opposite end of the lever E has an anvil-surface e, which is subjected to the blow of the hammer device to move the rod C and arm 0, so as to break the contact between electrodes 0 and B and form spark. The hammer-lever G is pivoted on the postG, and post G is secured to the plug A. One end 9 of the hammer-lever G is acted upon by the spring F, which tends to force the hammer-lever G toward the lever E. The. hammer-lever G is also provided with a cam-lug g. This cam-lug g is in the path of the ratchet-cam H. The ratchetcam H is rotatively mounted on the extension C of the shaft 0 This ratchet-cam is arranged immediately outside of the lever E. Next to the ratchet-cam H a rock-lever I is mounted on the extension 0 This is secured in place by a nut 0 A reciprocating lever J, attached to some part of the engine, actuates the rock-lever I. It is pivotally connected with the rock-lever I by means of the bolt the inner end of this bolt and is forced into engagement with the ratchet cam H by means of the spring 10. The ratchet-pawl is designed to catch one of the teeth It with each reciprocation of the lever J and move it one space. The other wire for the electric circuit may be connected directly through the plug; but we'prefer to break the connection except just at the time of sparking, and to accomplish this any device maybe used.

The ratche t'-pawl K is secured to We have shown one way that this may be done. A spring-Switch finger L is mounted on the end of the reciprocating rod J, and just prior to the end of the movement of the rod J it contacts a post M, which is insulated from the plug. The contact through the switch L M is completed just prior to the release of the hammer-lever G, so that at the moment of release there is a current passing through the electrodes 0 and B.

The operation of the device is as follows: In the position shown in the drawings the electrodes C and B are together. The ratchetcam H has been moved tln'ough the action of thelever J and pawl K tonearly the exhammer-lever G,- throughthe action of the worn off the moment of spark is practically Through this mechanism, therefore,a su stanv gines the combination with the plug A; the

treme of one of its movements, so thata' it remains in this position the lever J has moved sufiiciently to 0 en the switch L M, so

tooth 7b is just about to release this cam-lug. Just as this tooth'h passes the cam-lug g the spring F is sprung forward, striking the lever E and oscillating to a slight extent the rod C and this oscillation acting'throu'gh the arm C. breaks the contact between the electrodes,C and B and forms a spark. Immediately the spark is formed the ignition takes place, and the pressure in the cylinder acting against the rod C forces the shoulder 0 into contact with the plug A and momentarily holds the arm C againsta return movement.

This locking action will continue until the pressure in the cylinder is' reduced through the exhaust at the end of the stroke.- While that when the electro'c es 0 and B return to contact through the influence of the spring F upon the ende of the lever E the circuit is broken through. the switch L M. In this manner there is no waste of current.

It will be noted; that in this device even though the electrodes C and B are burned off or the same, inasmuch as the hammer-lever G is released at exactly the same oint in the travel of the lever J. The very s ight difference in the position of the leverE through any corrosion or wearing ofi of the electrodes 0 and B would make so little difference in the moment of delivery of the blow by the lever G as to be practically imperce tible.

tially uniform sparkemomen't may be obtained and maintained throughout the life of the device. v I I What we claim as new is' 1. In an igniting device for GXPlOSiVG-GIb gines, the combination with the cylinder part; electrodes arranged within said cylinder part; means for completing an electric circuit through said electrodes; an oscillating rod extending through'said part and carryin one of said electrodes; means outside of sai cyl inder part for oscillating said rod for breaking. contact; means actuated by the pressure of exploded gases for momentarily lockin said r'od against a return movement; anr means for breaking the circuit while said-rod is momentarily locked against the return movement.-

2. In an igniting device for explosive-enelectrodes C and B arranged on the inner end of the plug; means for completing an electric circuit through said electrodes; the rod G extending through the plug and having the arms C thereon for carrying the contactpoints 0; the shoulder con said rod engaging said plug; means for rocking the red C for breaking the contact between the electrodes ing the same step by step.

C'and B, said rod Q being free-to move axially to permit the shoulde'r' C to be brought into frictional contact with the plug A to lock; the rod against a'return movement;- "and means for breakin theelectric circuit while the rod is locke against the returnmoveinent. v I 3. In an lgn ting device for explosiveengines, the combination with the electrodes; a

movable meanscarrying one of said electrodes; devices for delivering a hammer-blow to said means to break the contact; rotating mechanism comprising a ratchet-cam for actuating said hammer device; and means imparting movement to said rotary mechamsm.

' 4/ In an igniting device for eXplosive-engines, the combination with the electrodes; a movable means carrying one of said electrodes; devices for delivering a hammer-blow to said means to break the contact a ratchetcam; the teeth of whichiii theirmovement actuate and release the hammer devices; and ar'eciprocatin'g bar and awl therein operat ing upon the teeth of sald'ratchet for rotat= 5. In an igniting device for eXplosive-en-' gines, the combination with the electrodes; movable means carrying one of said elec-' trodes ;.a lever'E' for moving said movable means; a spring F. actuating the lever E; the lever G forming a hammer device and arranged to deliver a hammer-blow to the lever E to break the contact of theelectr'odes, said lever G being influenced to this movement by the spring F; the ratchet-cam H havingthe teeth It adapted to operate'the lever G; and the reciprocating part J and the 'ratchet pawl 7c carried with the lever .J and acting upon" the teeth of the ratchet for moving the same.

6; In-an igniting device for explosive-em 'gines the combination with the electrodes C and B the oscillating rod C having the arm C carrying the electrode C; the lug A on which said parts are mounted; t eleverlE mounted on the rod G a hammer-lever G pivotally mounted and arrangedto deliver a hammer-blow to the lever E to break the con= .tact between the electrodes C and B; the \s ring F for actuating the lever G and lever 15, the lever G to deliver'theblow andthelever E to return the electrodes into' contact the cam-ratchet H arranged. to operate the lever G as it is rotated; and a moving part for rotating the camlever Hv 7. In an igniting device for explosive-engines, the combination with the e ectrodes C and B the oscillating red C having the arm 0 carrying the electrode 0; the plug A on which said parts are mounted; the. lever E mounted on'the rod. G a hammer-lever G pivotally mounted and arranged to deliver a hammer-blow to the leverE to break the contact between the electrodes 0 and B; the

ipring F for actuatin the lever G and lever v 1 I 30 the leverG to de 'ver the blow and the lever E to return the electrodes into contact; break the contact; means controlled by the the cam-ratchet H arranged to operate the exploded gases for momentarily holding the i 5 lever G as it is rotatedya moving part for roelectrodes out of contact; and means for tating the cam-lever II; the rod having a breaking the circuit during the time that the shoulder c thereon r'ree to be forced into fricelectrodes are locked out of contact.

tional contact with the plug by the pressure In testimony whereof We have hereunto of exploded gases and to lock the parts set our hands in the presence of two subscrib- 20 against a return movement. ing Witnesses.

8. In an igniting device for explosive-en- I HARRY D. MURRAY. gines the combination with the electrodes; a EDWIN J. FITHIAN. movable means carrying one of said elec- Witnesses:

trodes; spring-actuated devices for deliver- W. J. HARSHAW, mg a hammer-blow to one of said means to 1 J. M. REYNOLDS. 

